Kim du Toit has a primer that I got most of my information from.
How do I know what is a decent SKS to buy? It's hard to educate yourself. Wait, I'll Google "SKS buying guide"
How do I know what is a decent SKS to buy? It's hard to educate yourself. Wait, I'll Google "SKS buying guide"
How much should I expect to pay for a decent one? $200-ish? $300?
I've been warned against Chinese, told the best reputation is with the Yugo, Russina, and Romanian versions. Apparently most Chinese barrel are press-fit instead of threaded on? I'm not sure.
Simple breakdown/disassembly.
Simple breakdown/disassembly.
Chinee have pike bayonets on later models, the other countries, generally a blade bayonet integral to the rifle, and yugo types can have grenade launch attachments.
Can put in an aftermarket mags for more capacity, but STILL load the rifle with stripper clips from above. Not sure how adding an extended mag well or detachable mags works...
Can put in an aftermarket mags for more capacity, but STILL load the rifle with stripper clips from above. Not sure how adding an extended mag well or detachable mags works...
More SKS aftermarket stuff from Tapco
About all I know on confition inspection is looking for no pitting and smooth action on the receiver. Cosmoline can hide pitting in the barrel, so be careful there. Sometime the corrosion can get to the gas piston, but I have no idea how to inspect that in the shop, expcept by asking the gun shop owner to show me the ropes on disassembly.
About all I know on confition inspection is looking for no pitting and smooth action on the receiver. Cosmoline can hide pitting in the barrel, so be careful there. Sometime the corrosion can get to the gas piston, but I have no idea how to inspect that in the shop, expcept by asking the gun shop owner to show me the ropes on disassembly.
Here is a picture of the enemy posing for the camera with an SKS, the year before I was born. Propoganda picture I presume, and not spontaneous. Either that or the electric bill for Klieg lights in Victor Charlie bunkers must have been HUGE. Chuck here would probably prefer to have an AK-47, just like GI Joe on our side of the line might have prefered something with more bullets if issued a Garand. At least an M14, for Joseph. But this SKS for Charlie:
Bolt,
ReplyDeleteI'll provide you answers to your questions in a post tonight.
AC
The SKS is a good gun, but you need to be aware that if you modify it (by changing to a larger magazine, for example) you may have to modify it a lot. Federal law (I think it's paragraph 922(r)) prohibits converting an imported rifle to one that would be illegal to import. Adding a larger magazine to an SKS counts as such a conversion.
ReplyDeleteTo make it legal, you have to change out a lot of parts with US-made parts (once the US-made part count is high enough, it no longer counts as imported). You might also have to remove the bayonet and grenade launcher (replacing it with a muzzle brake). Basically, if you change it, you have to change it to a sporting rifle with enough US-made parts that it no longer counts as an imported military weapon.
Since the Yugo SKSs are imported as C&R weapons, any change falls into this rule - even changing the wood stock for an otherwise identical plastic stock. SKSs imported before about 1989 (when 922(r) went into effect) are exempt from this regulation, I believe.
The easiest thing is to just accept the SKS for what it is - a nifty carbine - and leave it be. You'll get a nice reliable gun for a good low price.
I have the Yugo SKS, got it in un-issued condition for around $200 + tax. The Yugo doesn't have a chromed bore and chamber, but as long as you clean it well and soon if shooting corrosive ammo, you shouldn't have a problem. I just got done tearing mine down, cleaning and reassembling it.
ReplyDeleteI got a scout mount for mine and a reader donated a red dot scope with a 4MOA dot. Plenty accurate for what it's intended purpose is.
Personally, I love mine. In my opinion it's also more accurate than an AK, though a lot of people seem to prefer the AK for the cool factor.
Besides the new scope mount and red dot, mine is bone stock. I have found the ten round magazine adequate when loaded via stripper clips. If you start changing the parts around you get into the whole "compliance parts" BS.
One part I would recommend is the Murray's replacement firing pin with return spring, which eliminates the possibility of slam fires if the factory "floating" firing pin get gunked up with crap. Cosmoline is a common cause of this as it gets into every nook and cranny of the gun.
I have had my SKS for about 4 years and love it. It is an accurate, stable, and maintainable carbine that fires cheap ammo and is easy to clean. I consistently shoot the centers out at a hundred yards with it. The only thing I wish I could change on it is the way it accepts scopes. If anyone knows a way to scope it other than mounting on the receiver or letting a smith drill holes, please let me know.
ReplyDeleteIf you buy an SKS, just leave it as an SKS. By the time you've spent the money to bling it out, you could have bought an AK that would be more reliable than a formerly-reliable SKS that's been rendered fragile and unreliable with aftermarket crap.
ReplyDeleteBTW: Kim du Toit is a nice guy and very smart. I won't give him advice about supermarket/retail marketing if he won't give me advice about guns. ;)
I have a Yuog SKS and like it.
ReplyDeleteThey're not fun to clean, especially if you're shooting cheap Wolf ammo, but as far as shooting, the learning curve is way short and the rifle is well-behaved. Mine's got the Murray firing-pin mod and it works well.
It was a $98.00 rifle 3 or 4 years ago and the stock's not pretty or anything. It was all there and in good working order.
Cosmoline came right off with "Goop" hand cleaner, the non-abrasive kind, followed by normal gun-cleaning stuff.
As eeeevil "assualt rifles" go, it's a good value for the money. And with the bayonet, flash hider and grenade launcher, mine makes GFWs cry. That's so nice.
Ted, here's the one I have.
ReplyDeleteWith a little locktite on the set screws it works great. I've found the recoil is enough to loosen them up without it.